


Cursed Life

by missbiopotato



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Breeding, Death, F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Murder, Sexual Content, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-14 13:12:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11208759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missbiopotato/pseuds/missbiopotato
Summary: In a world where only Omegas can bear children, a Mating Tournament takes place every year among the Alphas to determine the best males worthy of a mate. The Omegas are given as prizes, as breeding machines, spreading their legs and bearing children their only purpose in life.Eveline's the smartest, but the ugliest among her cohort. She knows her life's bound to be cursed, no matter which Alpha wins her body. But when the champion, the best of the Alphas, chooses her as his mate, not for her beauty but because of her intelligence, she doesn't know if it's for the best, or the worst...





	1. The Mating Tournament

Eveline's legs were starting to get numb under the weight of her body. She had been kneeling for 5 hours already, yet she knew the pain spreading through her legs were nothing compared to what awaited her after this tournament was over. With each battle fought, she could feel her body grow colder and colder still the closer her fate approached.

 

A cursed fate.

A cursed life.

 

Being born an Omega in this world meant being cursed from start to end. The newborn would be taken from her family, put under the care of the Omega Institute, only to be won as a prize to an Alpha at 20, be treated as a breeding machine and forever be enslaved. At least, Eveline's life hadn't been that bad at the Institute. She had books she could read, friends in which she could confide… Now that she was 20, it was all over.

The Mating Tournament was an event that took place every year in spring, less than a week before the Heat and the breeding season. All the Alphas 20 of age across the country came to the Capital for a bloody, violent competition to win an Omega mate, their only chance to breed and transfer their genes to the next generation.

 

The world consisted mostly of Betas, both male and female. They were your everyday people: farmers and butchers and teachers and everything they wished to be. They lived a 'normal' life, without having to deal with all the excess hormones like Alphas and Omegas. As a result, however, they were infertile. Only the Alphas and Omegas could mate and breed.

About 25 % of the world population was Alpha. Fierce, strong, powerful Alphas. They were in positions of power: lords, guards, politicians, men of the Church... They made the rules. One could not disobey an Alpha, except, maybe, another Alpha. Unless it was tightly regulated like the Mating Tournament, a fight between two Alphas was ugly; one often did not come out of it alive.

At last, consisting of only 5 % of the population, there was the Omegas. Their only purpose was to give birth to the children of the best Alphas, who won the Mating Tournament. Their existence was a contradiction: they were worshiped, treated as a prize, yet they were no more than a breeding machine. All they had to do was spread their legs to their Alphas and bear their children.

 

And so every year, the Mating Tournament decided which Alphas were worthy of an Omega mate. The event assembled every 20 years old Omegas, the most fertile age, and there they all knelt at one side of the arena, watching the blood of the fighting Alphas fly before their eyes. It was sickening, and Eveline had looked away or closed her eyes more often than not, her mind fogging up as the event happening before her seemed surreal. Surely it was only a dream, that she would wake up in her bed at the Institute, and there would still be time before the dreaded event.

The cheering crowd brought her back to the present. _It really is real_ , she thought as she caught sight of the two men in front of her, one on the ground and the other brandishing a bloody fist in the air. His shirt was soaked in blood, and Eveline wondered if it was his own or from his opponent. Either way, it was repulsing.

Eveline glanced at her fellow Omegas, noticing a few of them had the same reaction as her. But some looked on with awe in their eyes, clearly attracted by the prowess of power and strength. The expected response, Eveline thought with spite; the programmed stimulation of hormones production in response to the Alphas' pheromones. A purely biological response.

The booming voice of an older Alpha, a councilman of the Capital, Eveline recognized, announced that it was time for the final fight, between the two best Alphas of the year. Eveline felt her heart drop as she realized that after this fight, it was done. Her life as she knew it was over.

She caught his scent before she saw him walk in the arena, the cheering crowd exploding at his arrival. She cursed herself as she felt moistness between her legs. Most Omegas were subject to pre-Heat symptoms, and Eveline unfortunately was one of them. She hated herself for reacting to the Alphas' scents and physiques, hated being there, kneeling on a podium along with her Omega sisters like some goods on display before an auction. To the world, Omegas were nothing more than possessions, slaves. She hated it.

She risked a glance to the Alpha who caused her body to react despite her better judgment. Her eyes met his for a moment, and she looked down instinctively.

She hoped it was just a coincidence, nothing more than their eyes meeting as he inspected the selection of Omegas he could own. Probably, he was eyeing Elana, the most beautiful Omega of their cohort, who was sitting beside her, and his eyes slipped as he compared them. Her, the ugliest of the bunch.

Despite all the Institute's efforts to make their Omegas attractive for the Alphas, Eveline hadn't been gifted with beauty. Her skin wasn't as fair, her eyes not as bright, or her lips not as full as those of her fellow Omegas. Her hair was a mousy blond, with tight curls that weren't cooperative most of the time. Freckles covered her cheeks and nose, and beauty marks dotted her body in irregular patterns. She was shorter than most Omega, standing at no more than 4'10", and her pear shape left much to be desired. Whatever she ate went straight down to her hips and thighs, giving her an awkwardly smaller upper body and underdeveloped breasts. Not even a fool would choose her over any of the other 15 Omegas kneeling next to her.

How many Alphas had come to the Capital in hopes of winning a mate? 50? Yet only 16 of them this year would return to their homes with an Omega by their side. And one of them would win Eveline, and she would have to spread her legs for him, and bear his children for him. She would be his, completely at his mercy. Despite the warmth spreading across her body and moistness seeping from her middle, she dreaded what had to come. She was afraid, terribly afraid. She'd probably be picked last, by the 16th winner, a scary brute with missing teeth and tattoos covering his body.

Or she could get lucky, she thought, glancing toward the winners of the earlier fights sitting on one side of the arena, to her right. There was an Alpha, the fifth winner, who didn't look as rough as the others. He seemed smarter, relying on well-placed blows rather than brute strength like the others of his kind. She didn't fear him as much as the others. Maybe he'd read her file and would choose her because she was the smartest of her cohort. Maybe he'd see beyond appearances and choose her because he'd want a smart mate, someone more than just a breeding machine... 

A whiff of arousal hit her nostrils and Eveline scrunched her nose at the musky smell coming from her fellow Omegas. She looked back and saw what made their scent spike up. The Alpha with whom she had previously made eye contact had removed his shirt, rippling muscles accentuated by the low light of the setting sun. She felt her own body heat up, a sudden rise of hormones causing slick to pool between her legs.

The other fighter — a blond with a probably broken nose — had remove his shirt too, but Eveline's Heat-trance eyes were glued to the body of the other Alpha. He was definitely handsome — very masculine, she decided, her gaze flickering to his tan face. A strong jaw, a straight nose that risked not being so by the end of the match, thick eyebrows set in a constant frown... He had a cut under his left eye, a spoil of his previous wins, still red and inflamed. His dark hair was short and disheveled, caked with grime and sweat from earlier fights, and probably blood too. He stood taller than his opponent, more than 6', Eveline guessed, with broad shoulders and strong arms. The top of his chest was covered in hair, and Eveline's eyes drifted further down his body where a trail of darker hair started from his bellybutton and disappeared in his pants. Eveline could only imagine what lain behind the layer of fabric, how big and thick would be his— _Stop it!_ she chastised herself. She was better than that; she shouldn't — and wouldn't — let her hormones control her mind.

Thankfully the starting fight switched her attention elsewhere, the swift movements hindering her examination of the Alpha's body. He was the first to move, swinging a quick fist to his opponent's side. The latter caught it with his hand, and rose a leg toward the dark-haired Alpha. With unbelievable speed, he recovered from his missed punch and caught the blond Alpha's leg with his free hand, and using the momentum, he destabilized his opponent and kicked his grounded leg, causing the blond to fall on his back.

The dark Alpha retreated back, giving his opponent a chance to get back on his feet. He circled his opponent like a wolf in combat, trying to determine his weakness. Eveline had noticed in the previous battles that the blond tended to favor his right side, using only his right limbs to counter. The dark-haired Alpha seemed to have noticed that as well, dodging a punch and throwing a well-placed fist into his opponent's poorly defended left side. He immediately crumpled around his wound, jumping back and growling like a wild animal. It didn't seem to threaten the dark-haired Alpha, who clenched his fist and popped his knuckles while waiting for his opponent to strike back.

He was going to win, Eveline thought, a wave of arousal heating up her body despite her better judgment. The blond was a fearsome opponent, indeed, but not skilled enough to beat him. Since his first fight, Eveline had placed him among the best fighters, the most likely to be first. He relied on his superior strength, of course, but she could see that there was strategies and calculations hidden among the blows. A kick to a weak knee, low punches to a taller opponent… He was born to fight.

The fight ended after 10 minutes of exchanged blows. A well-placed blow to the back of the neck sent the blond Alpha to the ground, unable to get up again. The crowd roared, acclaiming the new champion, the best Alpha of the year. He was panting hard, still high on adrenaline, when the councilman came up to him and lifted up his arm in triumph. He hushed the crowd after a few minutes.

"This year's Mating Tournament ends with a sensational fight," the echoing voice of the councilman boomed across the arena. "It's my honor to present the best Alpha of the year, from the Duval pack, Lukas Duval!" The crowd cheered again, and Eveline realized that it was time. The winners would pick a mate and bring them home, to whatever miserable life awaited them. Eveline casted down her eyes, tears threatening to fall as she contemplated her future. Would she still be allowed to read? Or would she only be a breeding machine, whose only purpose was to spread her legs? 

She was scared. Scared of a future she couldn't perceive. Scared of a life that was bound to be cursed.

 

A cursed fate.

A cursed life.

 

"So, Alpha Duval, you get the first pick out of those lovely Omegas!" the councilman continued after the crowd had quieted down. His voice was too cheery for the reality of the situation. 'Those lovely Omegas' would probably be treated as nothing more than whores in a few days. "Which one do you choose?"

There was a moment of silence before he spoke. The air was tense with anticipation, yet they all knew who he was going to pick: Elena, the most beautiful of them all, the carrier of better traits.

"I want the smartest one," he said with a deep, rich voice that would have sent shivers down her spine even if he had said something completely trivial. Eveline was frozen in shock, her head still down, feeling the gazes of her cohort as they realized whom exactly he'd just chosen. She could feel his own stare, intense and fervent, urging her to look up at him, to acknowledge him as her Alpha.

"Which one is that?" she heard the councilman ask, followed by the shuffling sound of papers being searched, trying to find her file.

"Eveline," she heard the distinctive voice of the dark-haired Alpha — _Lukas,_ her mind supplied — and she felt moistness pool between her legs at the sound of her name coming past his lips. Would he call her by her name, she wondered. Would she be allowed to call him by his?

"Eveline," the voice of the councilman brought her back to the present. "Come forth to your Alpha."

It took her a second to register his words. The air was thick with tension as the crowd awaited to see which Omega he had chosen. With wobbly legs — both from kneeling for too long and from fear — she got up, and slowly walked to her Alpha while keeping her head down. She still couldn't believe what was happening.

"From this day forth, you are now Eveline Duval," the councilman announced, and the crowd cheered, although she could hear the confusion in their voices and claps. Why has he chosen the ugliest one, Eveline guessed they were saying.

She wanted to know too.

A large hand on the small of her back snapped her attention back to the Alpha, although she still couldn't look at him. He urged her forward, toward the exit of the arena, and she glanced back at her fellow Omegas, catching her friend Vivian's eyes, full of worry and fear. Eveline realized that she probably would never see her friend again.

 

Yet onward she walked, with the Alpha who had chosen her as his mate behind her, his hand a constant warm but decisive weight on her back.

Would she find comfort in that warmth, or only misery?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> This is still a work in progress, and it's bound to change as I progress into the story. I still haven't quite thought ahead, so I'll probably change a few things as I write along.  
> Please don't hesitate to comment on what you think of the story so far...!  
> Also, English's not my first language so I apologize for any mistake or typo...


	2. First Steps

She kept her head down, not even looking ahead as she walked. The pressure on her back guided her toward an inn a few streets away from the arena, the silent presence behind her the only thing keeping her safe from the ogling passersby. Each Alpha participant had been given a room in preparation for the Heat, where they could mate before returning home to their villages. Or dare they risk it, they could travel home before it. Taking the road with an unclaimed Omega, however, was dangerous and unwise, like trying to protect fresh meat from a pack of wolves who hadn't eaten in months. It unfortunately happened more than once that an Alpha-Omega couple got attacked before they could arrive to their destination, the Alpha beaten to death, and the Omega found laying not far, dead of exhaustion, her body mutilated and her womb full of cum.

The slam of a door behind her pulled her away from her horrific thoughts, and she realized with a start that they were already standing in front of his assigned room. She'd been out of it for the last few hours, getting lost in her thoughts that seemed to fill her mind with chaos. She was normally sharp, observing and analyzing, but the upcoming Heat was rendering her dull, as if the events unfolding before her eyes were nothing more than a dream. She was detaching herself from reality.

The Alpha behind her fumbled with the keys with one hand, the other still on the small of her back. Securing. Protecting. Only inside his room, after the lock clicked, did he remove his hand from her body. Only in the safety of closed chambers, only after walls separated her from others did he allowed her to move without his touch, without his silent claim over her. Never would she have the freedom to choose for herself, to think for herself, she realized.

An Omega could never be free. Cursed to live a life of submission.

He was still shirtless, she noticed as he paced the room, throwing his belongings that were dispersed around the room, and shoving them inside a bag. Fresh wounds clashed against the pale scars scattered across his body, some still oozing blood and others having turned an ugly color. They hadn't been properly cleaned, Eveline judged.

She silently watched him for a moment, like a prey on the lookout for a predator, then took a deep breath, overcoming her fear and willed herself to move. She dared going to the bathroom, while he was busy picking up his stuff. She fumbled around the cabinets, searching for clean cloths and ointments. When she returned with the medical supplies, the Alpha brushed her off: "We don't have time for this. We're leaving."

Eveline froze in her tracks. Surely he couldn't be serious…! Leaving? Didn't he read the news? Didn't he know how risky it was taking the road with an Omega so close to her Heat? He didn't even rest; after all that fighting today, he must have few strengths left. And those wounds…! Leaving without treating them? It screamed for an infection.

All those thoughts she kept inside, knowing better than to talk back to an Alpha. If there was one thing she learned at the Institute, it was to keep her mouth shut in presence of an Alpha. She knew her place, but perhaps she could try to compromise. He did choose her for her intelligence, after all. Maybe if she'd phrase it well, he'd take her advice. "Please Alpha, these wounds need to be treated. You won't be able to keep me safe if you get an infection." She kept her voice sweet, imbued with worry, a tint of submissiveness to ease him, to let him know he was still in charge, that he was still in control of her — their — fate.

The silence and stillness in the room made her doubt her judgement. Fear filled her again. Maybe she'd been too bold, too insolent. She was after all defying his decision to leave right away. Despite all those lessons on Alphas at the Institute, Eveline still had no idea how to interact with one. Should she have simply nodded along, leaving her concerns unsaid? Should she not have spoken at all?

She stiffened when he slowly moved toward her, stopping a foot or so in front of her. She kept her head down, unable to look at his face. Was he angry? Would he hit her for her impudence? She braced herself for a blow, but it never came. Instead, he reached out his arm and dragged a chair under his legs. Eveline found herself breathing once again, not even realizing she had stopped. He had acknowledged her suggestion; he had deemed her concerns worthy of his time and attention.

He simply stared at her, while he waited for her to clean his wounds. She hadn't anticipated this; an Alpha would usually rather be left alone when injured. It was a time of vulnerability, of weakness. But he trusted her enough to tend to his wounds, despite not even knowing her for more than a few minutes.

Gripping the medical supplies tightly against her body, she pushed her fear aside, at least for now. Although she felt uncomfortable and uneasy around an Alpha, he hadn't shown her any aggressiveness, no violence. She couldn't let go of her fear, but maybe she could try overcoming it, one step at a time.

They were to be mates for life, after all — till death separated them. Hopefully, it wouldn't be by his own hands, as it happened to so many Omegas in the past.

She took a step closer to him, then another, and another until only a foot separated them. One step after the other. That was the key to her survival. Obey him and you will survive. Please him and you will not be harmed. Small steps.

And now, he wanted her to tend his wounds, so that's what she'll do.

 oOo

Now that she was face to face with him, she realized it was the closest she'd ever been to an Alpha. The caretakers at the Institute were all Betas, and she'd never seen an Alpha in person until the Mating Tournament. She'd seen pictures in the papers, and drawings in textbooks, but not even those could prepare her for this moment. Despite being seated, he was still as tall as her, her small body appearing frail and delicate against his own. She knew an Omega's body was made to accommodate the size of an Alpha, pliant and flexible for his large body, but still, wouldn't it hurt when they'll mate?

Mating. The Institute had made it sound like a treat, something that Omegas should _want_ to do. The conception of a child was a blessing, a gift from God they should cherished with all their might. But Eveline knew better than to mindlessly accept the Institute's bullshit. In Eveline's mind, child bearing was a curse, not a gift. Proof of it was the society's treatment of Omegas. Instead of celebrating their ability to create a human being inside themselves, their were treated like objects, like inferior beings. Sex slaves. No choices, no freedom.

She had no say in the matter of with whom she would be mating. He had decided for her. In less than two days, she'll be under him, getting fucked and pumped full of his cum. In less than a week from now, she'll be pregnant with his child. All because she was an Omega, and he was an Alpha.

Pushing her thoughts aside, she started with the cut under his left eye. It was deep and oozing pus, the skin having been ripped ruthlessly by an Alpha who was wearing a ring. That Alpha should have been disqualified, Eveline thought angrily as she dabbed the wound carefully. It should have counted as a weapon. To leave such an ugly wound on such a handsome face…

"It might leave a scar," she informed him with a soft voice when she finished cleaning the wound, inspecting her work. She tried not to examine the rest of his face, but to no avail.

"S'not the first one," he huffed with a ghost of a smile. No, not the first one indeed, she thought as her gaze slid to his eyebrow. She hadn't seen it from afar, but one of his eyebrow was split in two, a pale scar running from his hairline to the outside corner of his eye. The latter was almond shaped and dark blue, speckled with green and turquoise, a truly fascinating color. His gaze met hers, and she immediately cast her eyes down, feeling her cheeks burn and her lower body cramp as a trail of slick trickled down her thigh. She had let herself get distracted for a minute, she reprimanded herself. It was just a fucking purely biological response.

She saw his body tense as he smelled her arousal, but he didn't move, didn't try to touch her. For that she was grateful; her mind wasn't ready for the mating, no matter what her body's reactions suggested. Would he wait before taking her, only claiming her in the safety of his home? Or would he be unable to control himself, and fuck her on the way there, on the side of the road like an animal?

She busied herself with his other wounds, careful not to hurt him. They'd learned how to treat wounds at the Institute, but reading about it in a textbook and applying the skills in real life was entirely different. She knew it must have hurt, and yet he didn't say a word, not even grunting or groaning when she applied the antimicrobial cream. The only indication of his uneasiness was the constant jump of his leg, a steady beat in the otherwise unsettling situation. She rubbed his chest, applying ointments on his bruised skin, relishing the feel of his hair on her fingers. How strange that a man's body — an Alpha's body — was so different than her own… Where he had hard muscles she had soft curves; where he had coarse hair she had smooth skin… Even his hands looked different, she thought as she tended his wounded knuckles. So much bigger and stronger than hers, with rough finger pads that'd leave goosebumps on her skin when he'd touch her body, she was sure.

She tightened the bandage around his hand a little too snug, earning her a soft grunt from the Alpha. She retreated her hands immediately, afraid that she'd hurt him, that it would anger him. However, he only flexed his fingers, stretching the cloth around his hand. When he saw that she wasn't moving anymore, he looked up to her face with those captivating eyes of his. "Done?" he simply asked, no threats in his tone. She nodded her assent, not trusting herself to speak out loud. With a swift movement, he was on his feet, returning to his packed bag, pulling a fresh shirt over his torso, and swinging the bag on his shoulder. "Then, let's go."

He still hadn't changed his mind about going home, she thought, feeling her heart drop. She'd hoped that he'd reconsider his decision after he'd settled down a little, after his adrenaline levels had dropped back to normal. But on the contrary, he seemed even more eager to leave at once. She didn't dare speak up against him this time, knowing it was futile.

She followed him to the door, keeping her head down and almost ramming into him when he suddenly stopped, turning toward her. She looked up, confused, seeing his gaze cross hers before shifting down to her throat. He opened his mouth, but unable to find the right words, he closed it again. But even without words, Eveline could understand what he wanted. To claim his Omega. To mark her as his.

At the Institute, Eveline had been taught that the claiming often occurred during the Heat, but some Alphas preferred to mark their Omega before it, making it clear that she belonged to him. The mark was supposed to be a warning sign for the other Alphas, to keep them away; but now the world was so messed up that even a claimed Omega wasn't safe from the predators. Yet it was still a symbol of possessiveness, a tradition of some sort.

He lifted a hand to her neck, his rough thumb caressing the soft skin over the spot where he'd leave the indent of his teeth. Eveline tried not to flinch away, but a shudder betrayed her intent. She attempted to mask it by tilting her head, giving him better access to her neck. Her eyes shut closed as he neared his face to her white column, his hot breath tickling her before his lips touched her skin, soft compared to the coarse hair of his stubble. He gave her a short kiss before sinking his teeth in the delicate flesh, deep enough to leave scars.

Her hands found themselves gripping his shoulders, her nails leaving little crescents into his skin. Her heart thumped erratically inside her thoracic cavity, the mixed smell of him and her blood making her dizzy. His hands on her hips kept her steady while he licked the wound clean, and when he finally withdrew from her neck, his breath was heavy and his eyes dark with desire. But then he removed his hands from her body, backing away and turning toward the door. She stumbled after him, still dazed, and together they left, the first steps of a long journey back to his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and kudos! They encouraged me to write faster!
> 
> Chapter 3 is on the way, maybe another week or two...! It might be in Lukas point of view, but I haven't decided yet... Stay tuned!


	3. Reasons, Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay!  
> I've been busy with work and writing my thesis (which isn't nearly as fun as writing this...) I've also started working on another Omegaverse fic, this one more lighthearted and fluffy (but with sexy scenes, I promise) than Cursed Life, and I've been caught up in the story and characters building... If you like my works, please look forward to it (although it might not be out before a few months, knowing me...)  
> As an apology, though, I've made a longer chapter. :)  
> Hope you enjoy!

The sun had already set, leaving the sky with hues of orange and red, the city preparing itself for the busy night life as they darted through the darkened streets of the Capital, heading toward the stables. His hand found the small of her back again, guiding her as she stumbled along, her short legs struggling to match his longer strides. The Alpha seemed restless, the pressure on her back almost uncomfortably painful, urging her forward. He was on his guard, protective of his mate — his Omega — almost growling and baring fangs to those who dared walk too closely. Eveline could smell the aggressiveness, could feel the threat in his scent. It wasn't pleasing.

At last they reached the stables, and seeing there was no other Alpha there, he relaxed slightly, even letting go of his hold on her as he harnessed his horses. She stayed close without even being asked to, intimidated by the large beasts. It was the first time she saw a horse in person, and they were much more impressive than the drawings in the textbooks. Fascinated, she dared touch one, a spotted brown mare, and slowly approached a hand to its muzzle. She patted it gently, and she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face when she saw that the creature seemed to enjoy it too, forgetting reality for a moment. But her smile soon faded when she lifted her eyes and met the gaze of the Alpha, who had finished harnessing his steeds and was silently observing her. She averted her gaze, letting her hand fall back to her side, reality weighting her down again.

She heard the Alpha beside her exhale a sigh before swinging his body over the horse in one fluid movement. He waited for her to get on too, but then realized she wasn't moving. For one, she was too short to mount a horse alone; for two, she was wearing a dress, the flimsy white fabric her only possession from the Institute, from the place she was leaving behind. Landing with a thud, the Alpha climbed down the horse and stood right before her, his tall frame dwarfing her. His dominance both scared and allured her; physically, her body responded to his strength, to his potency, yet her mind feared it. Despite the lack of display of aggression toward her, she was still wary of him; he still had the power to hurt her.

He picked her up by the hips, lifting her with ease over the horse's back and placing her sideways in front of the saddle before he heaved himself behind her. Traveling on two separate horses, apparently, was not an option.

"Let's go," he said with that deep voice of his, to her or the horses she wasn't sure, but off they went with a trot, the other horse following behind with his belongings. The only thing Eveline could do was watch the sky as the colors disappeared, replaced by the darkness of the night, the moon and stars their only light guiding them home.

oOo

Lukas was a bundle of nerves ever since the last fight. Sitting on a horse for hours now didn't help, the curly blond head in front of him constantly in his field of vision, and her smell — God her smell! — constantly in his nose. He'd been surrounded by Omegas at the arena — 16 of them — yet all of their scents together didn't render him as edgy as hers alone, so close to him. It had been easy at the Tournament, the fighting clearing his head as he immersed himself in the combats. He didn't have to think while he fought, the movements coming to him naturally, instincts taking hold of his body and mind as he punched and kicked and dodged…

But now, now that the fighting was over, now that he had an Omega — a mate — right before him, he didn't know what to do, and it was driving him crazy. What the fuck was he supposed to do with her? Oh, he knew exactly what he was going to do with her, the primal part of his brain supplied, but that would come later. Only in the comfort of his house would he mate with her; only when she'd be hot and needy for him would he fill her with his cum. That stubborn thought was the only thing keeping him from touching her right now.

But until then, how was he supposed to interact with her? Talk to her? He wasn't much of a talker, though: Basil, his friend (and rival), always told him to keep his mouth shut because he was an idiot. Better not to say anything than say something dumb and make a fool of himself, he'd said. And so, he took Basil's advice, as always because he was the clever one after all.

But why hadn't _she_ said anything at all? He'd have answered her questions, had she asked. She must have had a whole lot, he thought, and yet she hadn't said a word since they left the inn's room, not since she suggested to treat his wounds before leaving. He thought smart people liked to talk — or maybe that was just Basil…

Her silence made him even more uneasy. It forced him alone with his thoughts, but thinking wasn't his forte. He hated thinking; it always gave him a headache.

 

Lukas knew she was afraid of him. _And she should be_ , he thought darkly. As much as he'd try not to be violent with her, he had blood on his hands. He killed before, and he'll kill again; it was part of his job, after all. His father was the leader of the Duval pack, and he was the bank of the village. Unlike his brothers, Lukas wasn't smart and couldn't handle the paperwork, so he'd been stuck with the dirty work. Collecting loans and payments from villagers could get bloody if an Alpha (or the occasional hotheaded Beta) couldn't pay his debts. It hadn't only happened once that he'd came back from a fight covered in blood, leaving cooling bodies behind him…

The only thing Lukas was good at was fighting; _born to fight_ , his father had told him when he was 16, when he was old enough to be in the night fights _. Make them fear you_ , he had said when he'd thrown him in the midst of drunkards and wagerers eager for sweat and spilled blood. And feared he was; he was invincible in the ring. Old or young, he fought them all, and won them all. Today's winning hadn't been a surprise, to be honest.

He glanced at his prize seated right in front of him, encased by his strong arms holding the reins. In the light of the setting sun her curly hair had appeared golden, falling down her back in waves that engulfed her small frame. Sure, she hadn't been the prettiest, but he still found himself charmed by her features: porcelain skin, grey eyes, pointy nose, small lips, narrow neck, modest breasts, slim waist, wide hips… He'd had enough time to examine her when she tended his wound, and he couldn't deny his attraction toward her. Whether it was because of the pheromones she emitted, or simply because he found her pleasing, he didn't know, but he sure as hell wanted to fuck her. _Not before we get home_ , he reminded himself. He wanted her to be comfortable before he'd take her, in the warmth of the nest she'd instinctively build for them. He'd be less aggressive, possessive, if they were locked up in his house, isolated from other Alphas, but he knew that if he wasn't careful, he could hurt her. She was so petite, looked so delicate, he was afraid to break her. He didn't remember Omegas being so small, but then again, the only Omega he had ever seen was his own mother, and he was still a child when he'd last seen her.

Images of his mother flashed through his mind, the frail and abused Omega laying on her death bed. After his birth, she'd been sick for years, unable to fulfill her duty as birth giver. He remembered the joy he felt when she fell pregnant again, when he was 7 years old, the joy of having a little brother or sister he could protect. But he also remembered the pain he felt when days after her birth, his sister got taken away. Because she was an Omega.

His mother had been devastated, of course, but his father didn't care about her feelings. He blamed her for their lost child, and all those others they never could conceive. It didn't matter that she had already given birth to 3 healthy Alphas; the beatings came frequently. It wasn't a surprise when a few months later, she succumbed during her Heat, unable to withstand the brutally of her biology and her mate. Lukas was 8.

He'd resolved himself to be a better mate than his father had been, but could he really be? After all, the same blood flowed through his veins.

 

He got pulled back from his thoughts when his mate stifled a gag, lifting a hand to cover her nose and mouth. His scent had changed drastically, he realized, full of anger and resentment for his father manifesting as nauseous and bitter hues. Her own smell had turned sour, evidence of her fear toward him. See, that was why he didn't like thinking; by trying to find a way to make her less afraid of him, he had made it worse.

Maybe they should take a break, he thought, trying to soothe his scent, for his Omega's sake. They had been riding for hours; the moon was already high in the sky. Lukas' pocket watch was in his bag, out of reach, but he estimated that it must have been close to midnight. She must be tired, he thought. _And hungry too_ , feeling his own empty stomach.

He led the horses away from the road, further into the woods where they could settle for the night. They'd been lucky there hadn't been any other travelers on the road. He knew it was risky taking the road before an Omega's Heat, but he wanted to get home before it. Spending the night in a closed room with her was pushing the limits of his self-restraint. He hadn't anticipated the intensity of her scent, the sweetness so intoxicating, so arousing…

He abruptly climbed down his horse, rising his arms to her wide hips to help her down, feeling the softness and warmth of her body through the fabric of her dress. She placed her hands on his shoulders, to stabilize herself in his hold, and it pained him when she removed them as soon as her feet touched the ground. He noticed it too, when he'd marked her, how she loathed his touch, how she recoiled when he came too close. How the fuck was he supposed to live with a mate who didn't like his touch? A mate who feared him?

He remembered the smile she'd shown when she had patted his stallion, a bright, genuine smile that lighted up her features and made her grey (or was it blue?) eyes sparkle with childish delight. A bright, genuine smile that disappeared as soon as she lifted her eyes and met his gaze. His presence alone had ruined that smile, that happiness. Would it always be like that all their life, or would she one day look at him with the same pleasure she displayed earlier that day?

Having a mate was more difficult than he had thought, he realized. Before, it had only been him, free to do as he pleased, and only had to worry about himself. But now, he had to take care of another, and maybe more soon...

 _Oh fuck_ , he thought. He knew it had always been implied that winning a mate meant producing children, but it hadn't really clicked in his little brain. He won that Tournament because it was the obvious thing to do, his Alpha instincts driving him to be the best, to be at the top of the chain. He knew he'd have children _one day_ , but soon, _soon_ she'd be round with his pup, and soon, _soon_ little feet would run around his house — their house…

He tried to distance himself from her, feeling his arousal at the animalistic thought of impregnating her. He busied himself with setting camp, and found a dry spot of grass where they could sleep. She sat down beside him, but not too close, and he was grateful for the distance she set between them, as much as his Alpha instincts hated it. He was too protective, he admitted, too possessive when she was near him. For fuck's sake, he almost growled when a _Beta_ passed too close to her, back in the streets of the Capitol. She was just too tempting, and he wanted her all to himself. Fuck, did he want — did he need — to mate her…! But no, not yet. Not before they were home… Not when she still smelled of fear…

'If you got questions, you can ask them, y'know," he told her, careful not to frighten her more than she already was. Maybe talking to him would soothe her.

She stayed silent for a moment, her fingers fiddling with a loose thread on her dress, her eyes casted down. She took a deep breath before speaking with that soft, sweet voice that shot jolts down to his guts. Fuck he wanted to hear her moans and whimpers as he thrust deep inside her hot cunt—

"Why did you choose me?" she interrupted his dirty thoughts, pulling him back to reality. "Why did you want the smartest Omega?"

Yes indeed, _why_ did he choose her? That wasn't an easy question.

He cleared his throat before speaking, not exactly sure how to respond. "I want my pups to have a smart mother," he opted, simplifying his answer and omitting the real reasons: he wanted his children to have a mother who'll take care of them, who'll teach them the things he won't be able to. He wanted for his children to have a better childhood than he'd had; the childhood he never could have.

She stayed silent, probably expecting more but he left his real reasons hidden, because he knew he'd fumble with the words, unable to properly explain himself. He'd never been gifted with the art of communication, and lately, it was his fists who did the talking…

Seeing that she didn't ask any more question, he rummaged his bag in search of some food. He held out some dried fruit, and he saw her hesitate before taking the offered snack. He hated the fact that she was so wary of him, and it was infuriating him that he didn't know how to make her trust him.

But maybe it was better that she was cautious around him. He was violent, aggressive, and a killer. Maybe she would have been better off with another mate. Maybe he had cursed her life when he had chosen her…

oOo

Was that it? Was that the only reason for choosing her? So that _his children_ could have a smart mother?

She had hoped that maybe, _maybe_ , he had a better reason for choosing her. That maybe, _maybe,_ he found intelligence more attractive than appearances. That maybe, _maybe,_ he wanted a mate that'd be more than just a whore. That maybe, _maybe,_ she'd be more than just the means by which his traits could be handed down to the next generations…

How could she have allowed herself to be so misled? Sure, he hadn't tried to mount her as soon they'd been alone, she gave him credit for that, but still, he wasn't better than any other Alpha. To him, she was just a breeding machine.

She hated the fact that her body reacted to him. Slick pooled between her legs whenever his smell would turn musky, as a result of his own arousal because of his dirty thoughts, no doubt. She even felt physically ill when his scent had turned so bitter it was suffocating her. At least he'd smoothed his scent shortly after, and she was glad that anger hadn't been directed toward her. But it nonetheless gave her a preliminary taste of how dangerous he could be when angered.

Yet, despite her fear, she was attracted to him, and it frightened her more. No, she didn't _want_ him, but why was her body betraying her? Those strong arms, those passionate eyes, those little touches that made her heart beat faster despite herself… It was just a purely physical, biological response, she reminded herself. Just an Omega's reaction to an Alpha.

"Get some sleep," his voice surprised her, the deep baritone timbre making her heart skip a beat. _Purely fucking biological response_. "We'll continue at dawn."

She knew she should obey her Alpha, but she wouldn't be able to sleep, despite her exhausted body. Her brain was still too active, thoughts tangling themselves into utter chaos. _He's the one who should sleep_ , she thought, seeing the strain on his body despite the darkness of the night.

"Shall I take the first watch?" she asked with a sweet tone, stating her suggestion as a question, so that he'd get to choose, so that he was still in control. A little compliment should ease him, she hoped. "You fought bravely today, you deserve some rest. I'll wake you up should anything happen."

He hesitated before nodding and flopping down on his back. He maybe thought she'd run away if he'd leave his guard down. She didn't trust him, but she knew she was better off with him than alone. Running away would only be a death wish.

It didn't take time before his light snoring joined the sound of the rustling wind between the trees, and she was genuinely impressed by how quickly he could fall asleep. She lifted her knees to her chest, feeling the cold air around her now that she wasn't enveloped in her Alpha's warmth. Spring was well on its way, but the nights were still cold. Would it be too bold to take some of his clothes without his permission?

She didn't dare, instead scooping a little closer to the sleeping body beside her, enjoying the warmth emerging from the bigger man. She finally let herself relax, now that he was asleep. She didn't have to worry about being on her guards, or whether he'd snap and hurt her. Would she always have to live that way, always afraid that he'd lift a fist toward her?

She stayed that way for what seemed like hours, contemplating her cursed life. A faint crunch to her right made her snap out of her thoughts, suddenly alerted of her surroundings. It was hard to distinguish among the overpowering smell of the Alpha sleeping beside her, but was that another Alpha she smelled? The snap of a twig, closer this time, confirmed the presence of another person. And whoever they were, they were definitely coming toward them. Eveline's heart started to thump hectically. Who would be daring and stupid enough to approach an Alpha-Omega couple in the middle of the night?

A savior, or a rapist?


	4. Reasons, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:
> 
> A faint crunch to her right made her snap out of her thoughts, suddenly alerted of her surroundings. It was hard to distinguish among the overpowering smell of the Alpha sleeping beside her, but was that another Alpha she smelled? The snap of a twig, closer this time, confirmed the presence of another person. And whoever they were, they were definitely coming toward them. Eveline's heart started to thump hectically. Who would be daring and stupid enough to approach an Alpha-Omega couple in the middle of the night?
> 
> A savior, or a rapist?

The feel of small hands shaking his body awake startled him out of his sleep, and he instinctively jumped to his feet, placing himself in front of his Omega. He couldn't see in the dark, but he could hear the crunches of footsteps coming closer. A threatening growl rippled throughout his entire body, warning the newcomers to back off, to not come any closer to his mate.

"Fucking relax, Lukas. Can't you recognize your best friend?"

Lukas felt the tension in his muscles dissipate at the sound of the well-known voice. "Basil," he greeted as he rose from his crouched stance, allowing the other Alpha to come closer. Basil was the only other Alpha he'd trust near his Omega. "The fuck you're doing here?"

"Same as you. Bringing my mate home," he said as he lifted his arm to show the little Omega at his side clutching the fabric of his shirt. Despite the darkness, Lukas recognized the Omega, a small redhead with freakishly white skin. He couldn't remember her name, but he was pretty sure it started with a V… "I recognized your scent," Basil continued, putting an arm around his mate shoulders, reassuringly. How the fuck had he made his Omega trust him so fast, Lukas wondered. "Didn't you smell me coming?"

"My nose's full of Omega," Lukas grumbled, embarrassed that he had shown such an animalistic behavior to his friend and to his mate. He thought he was better than an animal, but if it hadn't been Basil, he'd have ripped out the daring fool's throat, no question asked.

He noticed his mate was still sitting on the ground, and he could smell her agitation at the sight of the other Omega, as if she recognized her. _Well of course they know each other, idiot_ , he thought to himself; they were part of the same cohort, they basically grew up together. Lukas sat back down beside his mate, while Basil and his Omega installed themselves in front of them. "What time is it?" Lukas asked Basil, who grabbed his pocket watch and tilted it so he could read the time in the dim light of the moon. "3 o'clock," Basil stated.

So he'd only slept 3 hours, huh. Well, it was better than nothing. "You should get some sleep," he told his Omega, while Basil did the same to his. They waited in silence until their mates fell asleep.

oOo

Eveline had been surprised to find out that her mate was friend with the Alpha she'd admired at the Tournament, the fifth winner, the one who looked smarter. She couldn't deny her disappointment that it wasn't herself standing by his side, but she was glad he'd picked Vivian, over any other Omega of their cohort. Vivian was a bright girl, not as much as Eveline she admitted, but she had been nice enough to listen to Eveline ramble about the things she'd read. They studied together, and Vivian was the first person she'd run to if something was worrying her. She was the closest friend Eveline had at the Institute, and if there was someone who deserved a good mate, it was Vivian.

"Feels weird to have a mate, right?" Basil asked his friend quietly, not wanting to wake the sleeping girls next to them. Little did he know that Eveline was still awake, unable to fall asleep, spying despite herself on their conversation. "It's like you're not just one person anymore."

It took a moment before the Alpha next to her replied. "I don't know how to act with her," her Alpha admitted. "She's afraid of me."

"Well, I don't blame her. You're not exactly the gentlemanly type," Basil huffed with a shadow of a smile. "Give her some clothes, will you. The nights are still cold."

She tried not to move as her mate draped a shirt over her shoulders and another on her bare legs. She caught a whiff of his smell — spices and pine sap — lingering in the threads of the fabric and engulfing her with warmth. "I don't even have clothes for her at home," Lukas realized with a somewhat saddened tone while he adjusted the fabric on her small frame.

"What an idiot," Basil teased, and Eveline sensed that the offensive term was used like an affective title more than as an insult. "You didn't think things through, as always."

"You should've told me," Lukas reprimanded his friend, but Eveline could smell no anger in his reproach. She didn't think two Alphas could be so friendly, so trusting toward each other, but there was obviously a very deep friendship between those two.

"You have a mate now; you'll be a father soon. You shouldn't rely on me anymore."

The Alpha beside Eveline simply sighed as his reply, and the two males stayed silent for a moment before Basil spoke again.

"Why did you choose her?" he asked with a deep, serious tone, then lower: "Did you pick her just because she was the one I was favoring?"

Eveline's heart skipped a beat. Had she heard right? Would Basil really have picked her first? Had her mate really only chosen her so he could snatch her away from his friend, like some child stealing his playmate's toy? Suddenly, the reason he had given to her previously didn't seem so real anymore. Had he ruin her life just because of some Alpha rivalry?

"Would you fight me for her, Haywood?" Lukas replied coolly. He hadn't denied his rival's accusation, Eveline remarked.

"No. I couldn't win against you, anyway," Basil huffed, and Eveline felt a tinge of disappointment despite herself. "No, Vivian has shown great potential as my future partner. She's smart enough to assist me in my research."

Eveline could hear the softness in his voice while he spoke about his mate, and she couldn't help but be jealous of Vivian. Basil seemed like such a better mate than Lukas. And she would've been his had Lukas not stolen her away from him. She could've had a mate who'd appreciate her intelligence, who could help her expand her knowledge, and not just so that his children could inherit it. Not so that his _pups could have a smart mother._

She could've been Eveline Haywood. An Omega didn't have a last name until they were claimed by an Alpha; not belonging anywhere before they become an Alpha's property. She could've been Eveline Haywood, and be the partner of an intelligent Alpha who'd possibly have treated her as an equal. She could've been Eveline Haywood, and her cursed life as an Omega could, perhaps, have been so different…

She could've been Eveline Haywood. But no, she was henceforth Eveline Duval, and it would never change.

"Do you smell that?" Basil asked, sniffing the air around him. "Is it her?"

_ Oh fuck _ . She was so trapped inside her own head she hadn't noticed that her smell had changed accordingly to her internal thoughts.

"She must be having a nightmare," Lukas speculated. Well, it wasn't false: her whole life was a nightmare, and it was just getting worse and worse each passing second.


	5. Dreams of Home, Part 1

Eveline dreamed of the Omega Institute. She dreamed she was still in her old life, in the comfort of her nest she had built on the top bed. She had shared her room with Vivian and 2 others, and they had been like sisters to her. They all had grown up together, since before they could remember — from the nursery to adulthood.

In her dream, Eveline was resting in her nest, while the others were practicing knitting baby outfits. The whole education at the Institute revolved around housewife duties, proper etiquette, and childcare. At the Omega Institute, they only taught the basics, because an Omega who didn't know any better was much more pliable and more easily manipulated to be the perfect mate. Yes, they did learn how to read and write, how to do simple math for finances and such, and studied basic biology, but that was just so that they wouldn't be a burden to their mate. An Omega too dumb was just a hassle, but one too smart could be worst. An Alpha wouldn't want an Omega who'd defy his orders, who could be her own voice.

Eveline had learned the hard way that her thoughts should not be spoken out loud. She too often had been punished as a child for asking too much questions and for stating her opinion. Criticism from an Omega was not tolerated, and so Eveline had learned to stifle her words — or at least her words aloud. The caretakers, as much as they tried, could not silence her thoughts, could not diminish her mind. Their effort to subdue Eveline's mind had instead forced her to adapt. She'd find sneaky ways to ask questions that would have gotten her in trouble had she asked them directly. She became a master manipulator — an actor — giving herself the look of a submissive, perfect Omega, while hiding her true thoughts and personality behind her façade. She knew that complying to the Institute's rules was actually playing the role that they wanted her to become, and did nothing to change her fate. She eventually had to become an Alpha's property when she turned 20, but at least she got to be her own person before then. A person with her own thoughts, her own mind. Something they discouraged at the Institute.

At the Institute, they were taught that an Omega should be a follower, should be obedient and submissive. An Omega was just a prize that Alphas could show off, to demonstrate their strength and superiority. They were supposed to be nothing more than an object, a possession.

But, fortunately, there was one caretaker at the Institute who didn't believe that. Mrs. Hemmingway was the oldest, yet kindest teacher at the Institute, and she had seen potential in Eveline. She knew the little Omega liked to read and had an insatiable curiosity, and so she sneaked her the newspapers and advanced books about history and science and socio-politics and religion... Eveline would then hide in her nest and read pages after pages on subjects an Omega shouldn't even know.

In her dream, she was happily reading a book on evolution when the floor started trembling beneath her. She dropped her book, clutching the sheets and pillows as the walls she knew so well started crumbling beside her and everything disappeared. She tried to grab onto something — anything — but everything was black around her, and then she was falling…

oOo

She woke up with a big hand on her shoulder, carefully waking her. With the soft light of the raising sun shining through the trees, she distinguished the handsome yet harsh face of her mate. She closed her eyes again, exhaling a discouraged sigh as the events of the last day came back to her. She didn't live at the Institute anymore. She'd never see her room — her home — again.

She sluggishly sat up, and rubbed her eyes with both hands before taking in her surroundings. Basil and Vivian were already awake, both eating breakfast. They were talking and smiling at each other, and it looked so effortless and natural that she felt a ping of jealousy toward her friend. How could they look so at ease with each other, while on the other hand, Eveline and Lukas had yet to hold a proper conversation? How could her friend, who shared the same fate as her, not resent her mate, the Alpha who controlled her life? Why was it that she was the only one afraid?

Life was unfair, but envying her friend would do nothing to change her fate. And so she softly smiled back when her friend noticed she was awake, pushing her jealousy deep within her mind. Even if the life that awaited her was probably full of misery and hardships, at least her friend will get to live a good life. If she could not hope for her own happiness, at least she could wish it to her friend. It was something the Institute had at least managed to succeed in brainwashing her: put the needs and desires of others before your own.

oOo

They rode on horseback for another day. The scenery changed from deciduous forests where buds were just starting to emerge, to broken mountains covered in conifers and pines. The Duval pack was situated at the far North-West of the land, bordering the high mountains delimiting the country. They were impassable, playing the role of a natural border, and nobody knew what lain behind those mountains. Eveline had read about theories posing that there was nothing, it was the limit of the Earth, and you'd fall into the abyss of the universe if you tried going further. Others postulated another world, another country with people celebrating a different culture, lived another kind of life. Eveline liked to believe that it was indeed another world, where Omegas were not Alphas' property, where they were not reduced to breeding machine. A world where Omegas were free. It might've just be a hopeless dream, Eveline taught, but one thing was sure about those mountains: every person who ventured in there had never came back to tell the tale.

Basil and Vivian trotted a few feet behind, their conversation just out of ear, forcing Eveline to endure the stiffening silence of her mate. He didn't say a word to her, but neither did she. At the Institute, she had learned to maneuver around the caretakers to get what she wanted to know, but she wouldn't risk taking her chances with him. He was an unknown ocean, waters that could hide vile creatures or bottomless sinkholes. She didn't dare go in, fearing what could lay inside. For now, she'd watch from the shore, where she couldn't drown. At least yet.

From what she gathered from the night before while listening to the Alphas' conversation, he seemed as… afraid as her. No, afraid wasn't the right word, an Alpha could never be afraid. He was perhaps irritated that she was part of his life now, that he'd have to change his visibly dangerous lifestyle in order to include her. Didn't he say he didn't have any clothes for her? He obviously hadn't thought about the changes her presence would imply, how he'd have to accommodate her, and at least provide for her basic needs. That must be why he was so distant with her, she thought. She wasn't a precious mate, she was a burden.

They reached a fork in the road at the top of a hill. One side led down like a serpent around the trees, down to a village hidden by the forest. Eveline could hear life buzzing below, could smell wood burning as people started to prepare an evening meal. She peaked through the trees and she saw a life she knew she could never be a part of. People came and went around the town, going about their business, chatting and laughing while children chased each other in the streets. All her life Eveline had been encaged by the Institute, and the only glimpse of a normal life she had seen was that one time she had sneaked on the roof of the Institute at night and saw the flickering lights of the Capital from afar. The first time she saw people outside the Institute was at the Tournament, and it had been overwhelming seeing so many people, so many lives. She had learned from books Mrs. Hemmingway had slipped to her how it was to live in a society. She knew she could never experience it for herself, but she could at least imagine what it would be like walking the streets like Beta women did. Few Omegas were allowed to leave their home and go out in public, and never without her Alpha.

Overlooking the town was a house as big as the Institute, standing proudly on a hill above the town. That's where the other side of the road led to. Eveline guessed it was the Duvals' propriety, a fitting home for the leader of the pack. Was it where she was going to live, from now on? Other Omegas might have drooled over the idea of being the mate of a prestigious Alpha and living in a mansion, but Eveline found herself disliking the notion. The Duvals' house looked too cold, too harsh, lacking the comfort and warmth of a home. Maybe she could find a room or a closet somewhere she could build a nest like the one she had back at the Institute. A little home for herself.

Basil's voice shocked her out of her thoughts as he and Vivian turned toward the road leading to the town. "See you around," he said to Lukas, who simply nod before urging the horse the opposite direction, toward the mansion. Eveline caught her friend's eyes before they separated, and her soft smile seemed to say "Good luck, sister."

oOo 

As they approached the estate, Lukas noticed that the girl's smell had a pinch of sour in it. It was hard to discern it from the intoxicating sweetness of her fast-approaching Heat, but he could recognize what it was. Fear. His own mother had smelled so much of it.

He loathed the house; there was too much memories attached to it that he'd rather forget. That's why he didn't stop when they reached the front gate, leading the horses toward a less distinct road past the house. Her smell changed slightly, and he mentally noted the particular shade of it as confusion. Sensing changes in someone's scent was advantageous in fights, and Lukas had learned to distinguish each emotion accordingly. Omegas, as it turned out, had particular nuances he had yet to discover. He wondered how she smelled when she was genuinely happy — or ecstatic, at the peak of an orgasm…

He shifted on the saddle, releasing some pressure on his crotch. Her Heat was approaching with each passing minute, and it was harder to control himself. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when he finally saw the familiar cottage hidden in the trees about a mile from the mansion. It used to belong to his great uncle, a grumpy old man outcast by his family. Crazy Dev they used to call him, because of his nonconformist and unconventional personality. He supposedly lost his Omega and newborn during childbirth, and had disappeared for dozens of years after the traumatic event. When he came back, he built a house just outside the Duvals' land, isolating himself from his family and the town.

After his mother's death, Lukas somehow found himself keeping the old man's company.

"C'mere kiddo," he had said to Lukas after finding the little boy beating up a tree. Taking out his frustration aggressively was the only way he could cope with his grief, because an Alpha couldn't cry; crying was for the weak, and an Alpha was nothing but the opposite. "Imma gonna tell you a secret, that you can't tell anyone, a'right?"

He remembered the gruff Alpha telling him secret stories of his travels as he smoked his pipe and stroked his bushy, unkempt beard. He spoke of lands beyond the mountains, lands that spread for miles and miles, so big it made their country appear insignificant. He described animals so absurd — beasts bigger than his house with long noses, birds a million colors, and animals with necks that stretched for dozens of feet... He depicted lands of sand, so hot and dry it rarely rained, while someplace else rain constantly fell, allowing the trees to grow taller than mountains. Lukas listened, but didn't really believe the old man; he was Crazy Dev, after all. But he still sat down beside the old Alpha, listening to incredible tales days after days. It helped him put his mind elsewhere, away from the reality of his dead mother, away from grief.

"If it was so incredible there, why did you come back?" Lukas asked him one evening, as Crazy Dev told the perilous story of his trip back through the mountains. He breathed a long sigh before turning his gaze to the large white pine beside his house, where he had buried his mate and child 50 years before.

"I'm getting old," he said softly, although his voice was rough from a lifetime of smoking. "I wanted to come home."

Lukas had been confused as to why Crazy Dev thought that a house and a family who rejected him and had never treated him kindly would make him want to come back. He spoke his thoughts to the old man, who choked a throaty laugh that turned into a coughing fit.

"Home is not necessary what you think it is," he croaked after recovering from the coughs. They stayed silent till the sun came down, Lukas pondering the old man's words, trying to find its meaning. Wasn't home the place he was born, where he and his family lived? The Duval estate was his and Crazy Dev's home, wasn't it? How could it be anything else?

Lukas never got the chance to get an explanation from the old man. He died a few days after their last meeting — from black lungs, they said. He was buried underneath the white pine with his mate' and child's remains. The cottage laid abandoned for years, until Lukas claimed it after he turned 18.

The horses stopped in front of the small cabin, and Lukas jumped down, grateful to have finally arrived to their destination, safely. His mate's eyes analyzed the house, and judging from her scent, she didn't seem too disappointed, considering she could have lived in a mansion had he chosen to stay there. The cottage was small compared to normal housings, with only one almost bare bedroom, one bathroom, a small kitchen that lacked most cooking tools, and a living room that definitely needed improvement. Lukas had lived fine with the bare minimum, but now that his mate was standing right before his house, he realized he hadn't taught about what would happened after the Tournament. He had no food (having been gone a week), no clothes for her, not even a spare toothbrush… She didn't have any belongings either, except that damn white dress that hugged her hips too nicely. Guess he'd have to go back to the main house to fetch things for her.

She waited for him to unharness the horses and put them in the small stable he had built himself. He then led her to the door of the house, his hand lingering a moment on the handle before he opened it. He had walked through that door hundreds, thousands of times, yet it felt different this time.

It was just his home anymore — it was _theirs_.


	6. Dreams of Home, Part 2

The house was small, Eveline first noticed, just the perfect size for one person, or a couple. But too small for a family.

She liked it, though. Back at the Institute, Eveline used to dream of a home of her own, where she could live free. She dreamed of a home in which she was not Omega, and no Alpha claimed her. She dreamed of a home not unlike the one standing before her. Small and cozy, just for her.

But it wasn't hers, would never be hers; that house belonged to the Alpha. How could she own it, if she herself was owned by him?

The Alpha walked inside the house first, his broad frame obstructing her view of the interior. When he stepped aside, she felt her heart skip a beat. It would have been perfect if she could live there alone. To the right was what appeared to be a living room, with only two armchairs in front of a fireplace darkened with soot. The walls were bare, but big windows were spread evenly around the house, basking the rooms in the soft glow of the setting sun through the trees. To her left there was a tiny kitchen in the corner, and a round wooden table filled out the space in the room. A closed door in the far back led to the bathroom, Eveline guessed, from the size of it. The Alpha stepped toward the back of the house, and instinctively she followed him.

He walked to a door hidden from view from the entrance, facing the kitchen, and it suddenly dawn on her where it was leading: the bedroom. Sure enough, when he swung the door it opened to a room she wasn't quite ready to see yet. In the back, against the wall sat a big bed, big enough to accommodate the 6 foot something Alpha. It dwarfed the room, leaving just enough space for a dresser. The blinds were drawn, the rays of the low sun illuminating the place in a warm glow that didn't match Eveline's feelings.

Was it time yet, she thought? Was it the time she had so ardently dreaded? Was is the time that she had to, in this very room, let an Alpha violate her until she was nothing more than a mess of cum and sweat? Was it finally the time she had to let go of the slim personality she had managed to develop, erasing herself until only a hollow receptacle remained?

She remained petrified in front of the bedroom's door, her body unable to pass the threshold toward her doomed fate. Eyes glued to the bed, she didn't even notice the Alpha dropping his bags beside the wooden dresser, and it wasn't until he walked back to the door and blocked her view that she became aware of her petrified state. He stopped about a foot in front of her, and rose a hand to her upper arm. Her heart stopped for a second, thinking that he was going to pull her inside the bedroom. Her Heat hadn't reached its peak yet — she estimated she still had a few hours before she'd lose to her hormones — and she hadn't constructed her nest yet… But she guessed her comfort didn't really matter to an Alpha. He could take what he wanted anytime he wished; he had won her, and she was his possession, after all.

But to her surprise, instead of pulling her inside the room, he softly pushed her aside so that he could squeeze through her and the door. His hand rested on her body for a moment before he withdrew it abruptly and took a step back when he had enough space to do so.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he said, his voice low but with a depth and richness only an Alpha could acquire. She couldn't help the shiver that spread across her body.

And just like that, he was gone, striding quickly to the front door again. Before her mind could try to make sense of the situation, she saw him gallop back toward the road leading to the mansion. Then he was gone and lost in the sea of trees.

It took her a moment to realize she was alone. Only for a few minutes, yes, but still; she could let her defenses down, breathe more easily now that she didn't have an Alpha constantly around her. She let her gaze scan the house freely, her imagination running wild as she pictured his house turned into a home, _her_ home.

She started on the living room, where the two armchairs faced the fireplace. They had seen better days, yes, but it was nothing that couldn't be fixed. She could reupholster both armchairs, she imagined, with navy blue fabric that would complement the dark hardwood so well, and she could knit a white or beige afghan to lighten up the living room. A bookshelf would line up the bare wall that divided the bedroom and living room, and colorful embroideries could fill out the empty spaces between the windows. Simply adding cooking tools on the counters would liven up the kitchen, and she could see herself waltzing in the small space, humming along to music from one of those gramophones she had read about. Colors would brighten the bedroom, with blankets and cushions assembled into a nest over the large bed. Her home would be full of life, vibrating with happiness, and comfort, and joy…

But that was the kind of life she imagined she could have if she wasn't an Omega, if she had been born free. The armchairs in the living room weren't for leisure, for quietly reading a book in the warm glow of a burning fireplace. The kitchen was not a place for dancing and singing, but where she was expected to prepare her Alpha's meals. The bedroom wasn't for those lazy mornings where she could sleep in on cold winter days; it was where she was supposed to breed and comply to her mate's needs and desires. That house belonged to her mate, not her. She wasn't free to do what she wished to do with it. It wasn't, and would never be her home.

Still anchored in the place the Alpha had left her, she slowly spun on her feet, her saddened gaze falling on the back door, leading behind the house. It separated the bathroom and bedroom, and through the glass panel she could see a lone, large white pine, snowdrop flowers growing at its foot. In the distance was a lake, shining magically from the setting sun's light. She could see a wooden chair just outside the door, faded and worn down from possibly multiple harsh winters. She could hardly imagine her Alpha sitting down in it, watching the glistening waters of the lake. He didn't seem the type that could admire such quiet and peaceful scenery.

The sound of hooves on dirt brought her attention back to the road facing the front of the house. The Alpha was coming back. How long had he been gone — ten, fifteen minutes? She had been so lost in her thoughts, in images of a future she knew would never come true, that she didn't notice time passing by. But now that he was back, reality washed over her once again. The rising Heat, momentary forgotten in her daydream, warmed her entire body, reacting to the Alpha's proximity. Soon, she'd be nothing more than a whining, moaning Omega begging for his knot.

Fuck, she hated her biology, hated being an Omega.

She glanced around the house one last time, the images she had pictured just minutes ago now fading and getting replaced by their real appearance, bare and cold. The house she had envisioned was nothing but a hopeless dream. It could never be her home.

oOo

Lukas paced like a madman in front of the Duvals' mansion, eager to return to his Omega he had no choice but leave in the cottage. He didn't want his father or brothers anywhere near her, unwilling to announce her to his family. He had this feeling burning in the back of his mind urging him to protect her, to keep her to himself and away from his family. He knew they wouldn't touch her — his brothers being busy with their own Omegas in Heat — but he felt the need to keep her a secret, at least for now.

Well, that's what he had wanted, but he needed to get her some necessities before the Heat. He didn't know much about Omegas, but wasn't there something about nesting instincts? Blankets and pillows were scarce in the cottage, so he quickly rode to the main house to get some, for her sake and comfort. He ordered a servant boy to gather the necessities while he went to the stables to install a cart behind the horse. Then he came back around the house and waited with thin patience for the servants to do their jobs. He sighed in relief when he finally saw the Betas coming through the front doors with pillows and blankets in their arms, and enough fresh food to sustain them for a week.

As he was ready to leave, the call of his name caught his attention. A grey-haired lady, well into her sixties, came rushing downstairs as fast as her old limbs allowed her. Lukas swiftly climbed down the horse to join Mrs. Nora at the foot of the front stairs.

"I found this," she huffed, cheeks red and breath short from the exertion of having to run around the mansion. In her arm was a piece of fabric. "Your mother's," she informed him, unfolding the forest green silk, revealing a simple yet elegant dress. "I couldn’t bear to get rid of it after her death. She loved that dress..." She smiled softly, more wrinkles framing her kind brown eyes.

Mrs. Nora had been his mother's personal maid, and had been responsible for Lukas upbringing after his mother's death. She was one of the few people who wasn't afraid of what he had become. Still to this day, she cared for him, coming once in a while to bring him a meal or clean his house. He had been grateful when, upon entering his home with his mate, he had noticed that she had cleaned up during his absence.

"What's her name?" Mrs. Nora asked as she passed him the silk dress.

"Eveline," he answered, the taste of her name on his tongue so strange, so unfamiliar despite knowing her for more than a day now. A day they could have learned about each other, but instead they had passed in silence.

"Eveline," the greying old maid repeated, gentle smile warming her face. "A beautiful name, for a beautiful Omega, I have no doubt."

He nodded, recalling her soft features, her charming eyes and lovely golden curls. He felt the soft fabric of the dress between his fingers, and he couldn't help but imagine her wearing it. The dark green would clash nicely against her white skin, the flesh as soft as the silk that would hug her wide curves. She would look beautiful.

Muttering a short thank you to Mrs. Nora, Lukas returned to the horses and the cart full of pillows and blanket the mansion could spare. He didn't waste time to jump back on the horse and ride back home. Back to his Omega.

oOo

He found her standing where he had left her 15 minutes earlier. Still looking at him with those blueish grey eyes, round and beautiful like a doe — a doe looking at him like he was a hunter, a predator.

He slowly approached her, sensing her uneasiness around him. Grabbing the pillow tucked under his arm, he offered it to her. She didn't move. "For the nest," he said as softly as he could, careful not to frighten the Omega. He wasn't accustomed to make people _less_ afraid of him, only _more_.

She hesitated for a moment, then took a step toward him and grabbed the pillow with both hands. She clutched it to her chest, hiding her modest breasts that rose up and down with each breath.

He stepped back, willing himself not to touch her, not yet. He abruptly turned on his heel and strode back outside, fetching the rest of the pillows and blankets. When he came back inside, she was still standing in front of the bedroom door, eyeing the bed. He saw her shoulders rise as she took a big breath, and her face briefly turned toward him with an expression that looked more like resignation than acceptation, and stepped inside the bedroom.

oOo

She built the nest with precision and care, assembling pillows and blankets neatly and with such meticulousness she put the one she had back at the Institute to shame. She let her Omega instincts grab hold of her body, of her mind, stacking pillows over pillows without thinking. In that brief moment when her Alpha had offered her the pillow and came back to give her more, she had made her decision. All her life she had been criticizing the Omegas' social role, denouncing their fate as Alpha's propriety. Omegas were much more than just breeding machine, than sexual objects. If only they had the chance to prove themselves, to show the world they were capable of much more than bearing children. Given freedom, she was sure Omegas could be just as successful in every domains as Alphas and Beta, if not more.

Mrs. Hemmingway had somewhat given her that small chance, by allowing her to read books she wasn't permitted to even look upon. Eveline had convinced herself that she wasn't like other Omegas; she wasn't foolish and faint like the other Omegas, she wasn't weak. She had a mind of her own. She could see the injustice in the system, see how Omegas were oppressed. Why couldn't the others see it too? Why weren't they doing anything about it? Why let themselves be Alphas' possession, allowing them to violate and defile them?

Years ago, she had promised herself never to let society and her biology control her. She had dreamed of liberation, but she now knew it was impossible. She was trapped, with no way to gain her freedom. The Tournament was inevitable, every Omegas were claimed when they turn 20. She would unavoidably be an Alpha's propriety — unless she turned the situation in her favor. She had read psychology books; conditioning could be a powerful tool for getting a small taste of freedom. Physically, she would be incapable of overturning an Alpha, but mentally, psychologically, she definitely had a chance.

All that, she had planned back at the Institute, in the confines and protection of her nest. She had never met an Alpha, and it had seemed that she would have such a long time before she turned 20 years old. She had years before it; her fate seemed so far away…

And then it happened, the dreadful day had come. All the Omegas in her cohort had been gathered together, groomed for the Tournament and dressed in white. As proof of their purity, of their innocence.

Reality washed over her when she saw the arena of the Tournament. All those men, all those Alphas, looking at them like they were preys. All those plans she had so carefully constructed shattered, leaving nothing but fear in her mind. Fear of those giant beasts, power and fierceness radiating from their strong bodies. Fear of those onlookers in the crowd shouting and cheering, supporting the cruel treatment of Omegas.

Fear of herself for desiring the Alpha who claimed her.

It wasn't supposed to go that way, she had thought. Ever since the Tournament, she had tried to remain sharp, tried to grab hold of her thoughts, of her plans, but the Heat made things difficult. She had managed to make small steps, like when she had persuaded him to clean his wounds after the fight. But it had felt forced, her actions rooted in fear. She was so scared she couldn't act as she normally did. For the first time in her life, her mind was not her own.

Physical violence had scarcely been used as a form of punishment at the Institute, for fear of leaving scar or permanent damage on their precious goods. She hadn't feared physical abuse there, but now it didn't seem like a distant reality anymore. The Alpha was more than a head taller than her, with muscular arms almost as big as her thighs and harsh features that reeked testosterone. The scars that covered his body were indicator enough of his violence. Would she misbehave, he had the power to subdue and hurt her.

Why weren't Omegas doing anything to save themselves, she had wondered numerous times? Now she understood. It wasn't obedience, it was self preservation, salvation. Complying was the only way to survive.

Clutching the pillow her mate had given her, she stared the grey bed tucked in the corner of the bedroom. She came to the realization that her mind, her thoughts, couldn't protect her. Everything she had imagined, every plan she had made... They were useless, they couldn't help her. Her mind rejected the Alpha, yet her body craved him; the opposition between her mind and body would only bring her harm. It was best to separate them.

And so, glancing at her mate carrying more pillows and blankets, she resigned herself. In order to protect herself, she'd become what she had resisted becoming: a mindless body. A body crafted for her Alpha; a body whose purpose was to receive him, and bear his child.

Self preservation...

Salvation...

Complying was the only to survive.


End file.
